This invention relates to a control system for stacking apparatus used in the manufacture of storage batteries, and particularly lead-acid type storage batteries. Such batteries typically include a battery case containing one or more battery elements immersed in a suitable electrolyte such as sulfuric acid. The battery elements generally comprise a plurality of alternate positive and negative battery plates each of which are separated by a sheet of electrically insulating material commonly referred to as a separator. Conventional practice has been to form the battery elements with one more negative plate than the number of positive plates so that the end most plates of each element are negative plates. The battery elements thus contain an odd number of plates which may vary in number depending on the design of the battery itself. Recently consideration has also been given to utilization of battery elements having equal numbers of positive and negative plates.
Conventional battery stacking apparatus for forming the battery elements are well known in the art. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,377 issued Oct. 13, 1959 to H. C. Winkle el al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,950 issued Aug. 4, 1959 to L. G. Reed; U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,536 issued Apr. 30, 1957 to L. G. Reed; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,933 issued Sept. 22, 1953 to A. R. Willard et al., as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 566,975 filed Apr. 10, 1975 in the name of the present applicant and assigned to the assignee of the present application. A conventional stacking apparatus generally includes a plurality of dispensers for depositing positive and negative battery plates and battery separators on a conveying device for further processing. Typically, partial battery elements, or books, may be formed which comprise an even number of positive and negative plates and separators which books may be combined in a common stack to make up a battery element. Provision must also be made for dispensing an odd or last negative plate to form a conventional battery element as previously mentioned. In the case of an even numbered battery element, a last negative plate is not used nor is the last separator used. A typical prior art stacking apparatus generally includes a mechanical system comprising gears, cams and/or ratchet mechanisms for determining the appropriate point in time at which the last negative plate should be dispensed. Such mechanical control systems often act to limit the speed at which the apparatus could be operated. Additionally, the mechanical type control systems are sometimes limited in the total number of plates which may be selected to comprise a complete battery element. In recent years, improvements in the equipment used in the battery industry have made it possible to process and handle thinner battery plates which in turn makes it possible to form battery elements of larger numbers of battery plates. In some cases the mechanical control apparatus may be limited in its capability to provide such increased numbers of battery plates and elements. Furthermore, prior art systems are not easily adapted to manufacture even numbered battery elements.